


Let Them Hear It

by Kura



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Companion Piece to Let The World Know, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Missing Scenes, Panic Attacks, a collection of short fics, ambrolleigns friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 17:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2119083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kura/pseuds/Kura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'You can't control everything, Seth,' Roman eases his worries, stroking his hair just like in the old times. 'Seriously, you need to let go sometimes. Dean and I, we're old enough to look out for ourselves. And we're willing to help you carry the weight of all of this, if you let us.'</p><p>His eyes start to burn, so he squeezes them shut and buries his face in Roman's oiled up chest. For the past nine weeks he was trying to fix everything on his own, thought that ultimately, the entire mission stands and falls with him. He knows his brothers are there to support him but he never realized that they're also willing to go through hell. Not to help him bring down the Authority. No. They do this to not leave him alone.</p><p>Because no matter how much he hurt them, they still love him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i'd rather keep my dignity

**Author's Note:**

> Submitted by [Jenn11](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/385786/): "After the match with Seth and Cesaro against Dean. Seth thinks Dean will be furious at him, but instead Dean looks at him with adoration, as if he's the most important person in the world, passion, etc... Such a totally unpredictable reaction - which is perfect for Dean, but I am curious about it. A little confused by it. I'd love to see those moments, and maybe right before they run into each other, from Dean's point of view."
> 
> Also, a little warning: Dean wasn't _drugged_ like he claims to, but the whole matter might be a bit difficult for some. He gets both shots but it's for his own good. And yes, this was what I had in mind when I wrote the original chapter.

'I said no,' Dean roars, ready to fight all of these jackasses off in case they won't listen to him yet another time. 'You can stick that shit where the sun don't shine.'

But no matter how much he tries to shake them off, they overpower him just by pushing him down, putting all their weight on his bad shoulder and bruised back. That match with the Swiss Superidiot cost him every last ounce of energy and then Seth had to go and lose his shit in the ring, almost kicking Dean's head off, just to end the attack with wishing for his death.

Awesome day so far.

And now he's here with all these incompetent people – who are trying to find out if the condition of his shoulder got even worse – surrounding him.

Two of them are examining his skin, jabbing at the throbbing pain as if it's some fun game. He has to restrain himself so hard to not bite off their fingers whenever they touch his shoulder _just once more, to be on the safe side, Dean_. Safe side; don't make him laugh. They're totally _enjoying_ this.

Another one is standing beside him, checking for bruises, not being any more gentle than his colleagues. And then there's the fourth one, syringe in his hands and Dean starts trashing again. There is no way in hell he is gonna get that shot.

Dean only takes pain medication as a last resort. He's very picky about what he puts into his body ever since he quit drugs. And that shoulder bothers him for months now, he doesn't even feel it most of the time anyway. Why do they want to drug him up to the eyeballs now all of a sudden?

Oh, maybe he should stop running his mouth or trying to rip someone's arms off.

'This is just for your own good, Dean,' one of them says in a fake calm voice and he opens his mouth to argue in a civilized manner, but the fourth one won't even give him a chance. Dean feels the needle entering his skin before he can squeeze out a single sound.

He doesn't actually feel the liquid rushing through his veins but he damn well imagines he can and it's ticking him off so badly that he jumps up and grabs the syringe guy at the collar, yanking him around a bit, trying to come up with the perfect insult and explanation why he fucking never wants a stupid pain killer shot again.

He didn't think they would stab him with yet another needle, giving him a sedative on top of everything else. God damn, what a shitty night.

Before those jerks dope him so badly that he won't even find his and Roman's car later, he forces himself to smile at them. When he nods he's already feeling woozy; his movements getting sluggish. Whoa, he's gonna kick all of their asses as soon as this shit wears off.

Until then, he's going to enjoy walking on clouds. He actually has to tap hard on his left shoulder to make sure it's still there.

'Dean, are you alright?' one of them asks and Dean blinks, grinning like the fucking Cheshire Cat. What the hell did they give him? It's kinda awesome.

'You should stay here for a while, the side effects will wear off soon.' Dean salutes sloppily, falling back down on the cot. 'Are you feeling nauseous?' He shakes his head slowly, still smiling like a lunatic and getting really tired all of a sudden. Maybe Seth should ask for a shot of this stuff too. It would definitely stop him from stomping off Dean's head in the future.

Mmh, Seth. He wants to see him. Like, right now. Maybe they can go to Burger King tonight, Dean is yearning for some French fries and creemee. Shit, he's really super hungry. They should take Roman with them, because he always shares his meal with Dean. Seth is a selfish bastard, eating his stuff all by himself.

Or they can take over a pizza parlor. Dean wants to rub Seth's face into a hot, greasy pizza. He hasn't done that in ages. Why is that again? And why is he alone in here; where did everyone go?

More importantly, where are his brothers?

Usually, they never leave each other's side in the medical staff room, always check on the other members of their family, no matter how insignificant the injury might be. Those fair-weathered friends.

Dean sighs, blinking irritated when the light ahead blinds him horribly. 'Turn that fuckin' thing off,' he mutters to no one in particular and rolls down the cot, not taking the hight difference into account, which is why he ends up falling flat on his face. It hurts a bit, but that's good because it means that shit is actually wearing off and he can make someone pay for drugging him without his consent soon.

But he's still awfully hungry.

Where the heck is his shirt? Well, doesn't matter since his chest and left shoulder are heavily bandaged up.

Dean huffs, rolling his shoulders just to get a feeling for his limbs again and stands up, walking around a bit to test if he can do it without his legs giving out. He has no clue how long he's been lying here, thinking about his brothers and food, but it feels like a whole eternity passed.

Roman must be worried. And Seth better be concerned about not losing his shit like that again. Dean isn't mad about it, even though he's still irked that his own brother wished for his death, but he'd like to prevent the beheading part in the future. It's not awesome getting kicked in the face, no matter what people say.

There's a small sink in the corner of the room, so Dean wobbles over there and splashes cold water in his face until he feels a bit more like himself. His brain is still slow on the uptake but he can deal with that for now. He's sure that once he has eaten something and is back together with the only brother he has left, everything will be fine.

Those medics better not come back though.

He sighs loudly and closes the door behind him, only able to take one step before someone bumps into him. He knows who it is before he even looks down, able to recognize the lingering stench of that damn bleaching product everywhere.

His nose is hyper-sensitive for some reason, breathing in the smell of his little brother as deeply as it can, so his mind is able to assault him with memories of the past; nights when he came back home to the dynamic duo to find out Seth further ruined his hair, polluting their room at the same time.

If he's completely honest with himself, he misses those days. He is tired of returning to the hotel to only find Roman waiting for him. There's always this unoccupied space next to them, a void that can't be filled by anything or anyone. No matter where they go, what they do, it's always crystal clear that Seth's absence hovers over them unpleasantly.

It's time for their brother to wrap things up and come back home because Dean is starting to get used to not seeing Seth every day anymore. He's getting accustomed to turning around in the car and being disappointed that there is no one sleeping in an uncomfortable position on the backseat.

Seth seems to be perplexed and also really happy that he ran into Dean, as if that never happens anymore. It doesn't matter how big an arena is, they always cross each other's paths. Simply because they're drawn to each other – always have and always will be. That's one of the things he likes so much about their relationship.

Huh. Look at that.

 _Relationship_. He really thought the transition from friendship to relationship would freak him out completely. It's probably the tranquilizer and painkiller in his blood that keeps him from punching Seth in the face and run out of the building. Dean has to admit, that word does have a nice ring to it.

By the way, has he ever complimented Seth for the totally intense and dark color of his eyes? Because damn, they draw him in every time he looks his friend in the face. They're so warm and comforting, like they want to tell him that everything is going to be okay. And no matter how riled up he is, Dean can always be calmed down by them, as well as one simple touch from his kid brother.

It's a miracle, but one that he welcomes in his life.

Just like Seth. Who looks really dapper in that god damn gray Authority shirt. Dean should rip it off, just for good measure. No, what he really should do is grab Seth and take him home. Screw his stupid plan and screw the Authority. Dean wants to wake up next to his whole family again.

'I'm sorry, man. I have no idea what happened out there,' Seth whispers all of a sudden very urgently and starts pushing Dean around the corner into a dimly lit hallway. _Slow down, kiddo, no one is there to watch us_. But on the other hand, Dean is glad to realize he has complete control over his body again. Sadly, his shoulder starts acting up almost in the same instant.

Whatever they gave him, it's bullshit. That didn't even last the whole night. He's had better for less trouble.

Seth is so cute, trying to act all protective and secretive at the same time. God, he really misses that dork. _Okay, okay you better slow down too, Ambrose_ , he chides himself. _Whatever they gave you, it's making you emotional_.

That voice in his head might be right. But then again, Seth is standing here before him, apologizing and looking like a deer caught in the headlights, all adorable and insecure. Dean should be furious, should ask his friend why he lost his marbles in the ring and why he can't control his CrossFit buddy.

But the thing running through his veins helps him stay calm and collected. Seth doesn't even know how lucky he is. Then again, Dean probably doesn't either. Every week he watches his baby brother manipulate his way through Raw and Smackdown, spreading mistrust and jealousy wherever he goes.

He even manages to fulfill his and Roman's wishes for this favor or that match and has put a very loose leash on Kane. He's doing everything he can to appease his brothers, to make it up to them. Dean should cut him some slack. Even if it's just for tonight.

So, who cares if he's getting emotional? Seth is the air that fills his lungs, the blood that runs through his veins. Surely, Seth would feel better if he would just know how much he means to Dean. It would probably lift his spirits, making him invincible. And probably careless.

There is no chance that Dean will give Seth what he truly wants – he's not yet ready to say those words – but he's doing his best to show his friend how much he means to him.

Seth backs away a few steps, hands still lingering on Dean's arms. His brother's fingertips are running very gingerly over his muscles, as if he's torn between full-on groping him and stepping back to enjoy the beauty of this moment.

'Dean?' Seth croaks out, voice trembling even more than his fingers. It's really cute. The hesitation and admiration in those brown eyes quickly turns into hungry passion. That puppy, always so eager to please, rushing things when taking it slow is so much more satisfying.

It might be that the sedative-painkiller-combo is making him soft and touchy-feely but the very core of these thoughts still lies within Dean. All of this, it's him – no matter if he likes it or not. Thankfully, he's sober most of the times he deals with Seth, or he would gush over the other all day long.

Thing is, the longer Seth stares into his face, the more Dean misses him. And the more he understands that there isn't a day he wants to live without him anymore. They have come such a long way since they first met in FCW and during their time as The Shield they were so convinced that nothing could ever break them apart.

Now that he's traveling around the country with only Roman to keep him company, it's getting pretty obvious Seth leaving wasn't the worst part of all of this. Dean is very close to beg his brother to come back again multiple times, but somehow his mouth stays closed.

Patience is a virtue, he reminds himself over and over, debating with his conscience if it would be okay to hold Seth close for the rest of eternity. Just so he can memorize every second of it for the lonely nights he and Roman lie in bed and talk about how cold the room is, how dull life seems and how sunshine isn't bright anymore whenever their brother isn't around.

Maybe Seth finally deserves a second chance. Not as a third of their brotherhood, but as Dean's partner. He has proven that he'd do anything to help them even as a member of the Authority, so Dean should give him a little something in return. Just to keep him hooked. Because Seth giving up on him would kill Dean.

But then _it_ happens again.

The moment Seth's gaze turns frightened, Dean congratulates himself for being such a damn fool. Seth is still not ready for them, much like Dean himself. The only difference is that he would never run away from his family though.

He recognizes the haunted look in his friend's eyes. It's the same one Seth wore all these weeks ago when he ran out on them.

Second chance, his ass. Fuck this, he's out of here before that tranquilizer can meddle with his brain even more. Making him think Seth has changed. What a fucking idiot he is.


	2. i crawl my way through every day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by [29k](http://archiveofourown.org/users/29k/pseuds/29k): Last part (11), Seth told Dean that he loved him and last time Seth did that (back in part 6 (?)) Dean panicked. Apart from freezing (the moment before Roman shows up), I need to know how Dean felt, why didn't he panic (well full on panic attack) this time? Did he tell Roman? - I hope I'm not asking for too much and I understand that you might even be planning to cover this later. But just pleeeeaaasssseeee!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for a minor panic attack.
> 
> Second companion piece to [finally breaking; i need you to breathe](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2056254). Thought I'd post them in a row. Have fun!

Dean has finally ripped that stupid gray Authority shirt off Seth's chest, lips locked with his friend's – because as mad as he had been before, even he realized that he has to give Seth a break once in a while. His baby brother has been apologizing so desperately this whole time for all the things he is responsible for and the ones he just can't prevent from happening.

Seth is not perfect. Neither is Dean though.

His mind is still telling him very urgently to stop this impromptu make-out session right now before he can't control it anymore. Before he gives Seth the wrong impression and goes too far to ever turn back.

What a good thing that Dean listens to his heart more than he does to his head, and his very own heart is telling him that all he felt earlier were his own emotions, just multiplied by a thousand due to the sedative. Dean can be as grumpy and distanced as he wants to, the simple truth is that he enjoys this as much as his brother.

This here – Seth being so close that the tips of their noses touch and his fingers playing around with the ridiculously cute chest hair – is what Dean wants every single day of his life, what keeps him going.

The best part about this? They're taking it slow, moving forward at Dean's painfully slow celerity, so he can deal with every new situation on his own before the next one comes crashing down on him.

Thinking about it, it's a miracle Seth condones the fact that Dean is in control, that he's setting the pace. It's damn near perfect.

Of course it doesn't last – because why would the universe miss out on an opportunity to kick him in the junk? Seth has to go and ruin everything by murmuring against his lips, 'I love you.' To make things even worse, it's completely honest and innocent. Dean can't deal with that yet.

So the only logical thing to do is start panicking. His whole body freezes in an instant, his chest seizes up while his heartbeat skyrockets and a wave of nausea assaults him, almost making him throw up all over Seth. He's gonna lose it in front of his brother yet again, because that overzealous klutz won't stop confessing his undying love for Dean.

He gets it. He really does. Seth thinks it's important to remind him over and over, so Dean won't forget. But Seth has to understand that he needs his space – especially now – because he is smothering him with those words.

They're not making him all happy and giddy, no, they're throwing him into the arms of a full-blown panic attack.

For fuck's sake, this guy standing right before him has single-handedly ripped open the nastiest, ugliest scars of his past. He'd been in such a good mindset for the past few years, had even fooled himself into believing for the longest time he got rid of those stupid anxiety attacks.

Dean has said it before and he will never get tired of repeating it: Seth brings out the best and sadly also the worst of him. And him practically being able to feel his lungs stop working just proves it. Three little words can fuck him over in no time.

Thank God for Roman though, because he is interrupting them with a smack over the head in that very moment, helping Dean to get that one second of distraction that he needs to hide his inner turmoil. He's trying to turn away from Seth's affectionate gaze but his feet won't follow his brain's order.

'Guys, I get it, mutual attraction and all that. _I_ can see it, the world can definitely see it and, I mean, I can almost _smell_ your neediness– oh, for God's sake, Dean, put your pants back on,' Roman seethes, separating the two of them while Seth just snickers like a little child, watching him pull his pants up. When did they fall down? Seth really is a ninja.

'This is, I can't even believe how stupid the two of you– playing with fire and, God, I should just make signs for everyone in the goddamn arena to follow them here if they want to see something _not_ funny,' the big bad wolf roars on, clearly furious because of their mindlessness.

He manages to beam at Seth, very proud with himself that he is still standing and not lying on the ground, weeping and wheezing, pissing himself like a dying man. But just because Roman was able to interrupt the vicious circle he usually falls in during those attacks, it doesn't mean he won't go down that road later. It's only a pleasure deferred, right?

'We're leaving and you,' Roman grits out, pointing accusingly at Seth, 'should go too. And take care of that unfinished business. What are you, horny little teenagers?'

Well, Dean is not the one having to go back to the Authority with an erection in his abnormally tight pants. Actually, he doesn't have one at all. And right now, he can't even remember if he popped a boner tonight in the first place.

Seth has the guts to hold his thumbs up and smile bashfully at their brother, which does make Dean laugh out really loud – surprising not only himself with it, even though it does sound a bit breathless.

He gets pushed out of the way by Roman once he buckled his belt again and watches how Seth gets the most intense big brother stare before the soft part of Ro takes over and he hugs Seth close to his chest, whispering something in their baby brother's ear Dean can't make out.

They turn to leave but he doesn't want to go away without an actual goodbye again, so he turns around and waves while they're walking, eliciting one last warm smile from his friend that sends a shiver down Dean's spine.

Somehow, and he really can't say how, he is able to hold on to reality – he even makes a joke while leaving the arena – for as long as they're in Seth's earshot. As soon as they're out of it, he crumbles, legs giving out and judging by Roman's concerned look, he probably just turned white as a ghost.

He gets grabbed by the shoulders but couldn't care less about the pain shooting through his body – seriously, worst painkiller-tranquilizer-combo ever. Blood is rushing through his ears, creating a deafening noise but he still can hear Roman speaking hurriedly, 'Are you okay? Dean, talk to me.'

He shakes his head before he tries to draw a shaky breath, failing miserably, so he just croaks out a pathetic, 'Get me out of here... please.' Roman nods, helping Dean to walk faster by holding him tight, always keeping an eye out for people who would ask stupid questions and spread all kinds of rumors if they'd see him like this.

They don't speak on the way back to the hotel. Dean is trying to hold it together, to calm himself down because it's not a big deal that Seth won't fucking keep those damn words to himself, and Roman is just his usual patient self, ready to wait forever if that's the time it takes Dean to talk about this.

His brother also gives him the space he needs when they're in their tiny hotel room and Dean instantly dashes into the bathroom to lock himself in it. Roman understands that he wants to try and deal with this on his own and no matter how this will turn out, he'll always be there waiting to pick up the pieces, if necessary.

Dean can't tell how long he sits on the tiles, hugging himself, wallowing in self-pity and fear but the panic attack he has been waiting for never comes. At least not to the extent he had imagined. He doesn't cry and is still able to breathe but he feels really sick to the point of throwing up if he just blinks and his whole body is shaking.

The entire time he is fighting for control over his body he keeps on questioning himself why he's not a crying mess right now. Why Seth's love confession scared him to dea– oh. Even his hazed mind is able to answer that one. It's so _obvious_.

Because there is only one thing frightening him even more than Seth's love and that are his own feelings for his friend. What kind of imbroglio has he gotten himself into? And why is he trying to solve this shit alone when there is someone in the adjacent room who would do anything to make him feel better and help him out?

There's some faint moonlight creeping its way into their room but since he spent the last few whatever in complete darkness he can see perfectly fine, making out Roman's shape in the bed. Since he doesn't know if his brother is sleeping or not, he crawls carefully under the covers and snuggles up to him.

He will tell Roman what got his panties in a knot tomorrow, because that's what they do – share their burdens. But for now he just wants to forget Seth's eagerness and persistence and drown in Roman's protective calmness.

Dean smiles relieved when Roman's arm sneaks around his waist and pulls him in.


	3. i'll be here forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by [LeahMarie](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/547209/): I don't know if you've seen [the vid]() yet of Roman getting his stitches but you can hear Seth talking in the background, could you add that part into your story? Just a little scene of Seth checking on Roman and making sure he's ok and feeling all guilty and Roman being the big brother he is and telling him he's fine and doesn't blame him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, I had to change reality a bit to give Seth a reason to be there at all. I'm super happy that the three of them still care for each other like in the old times but it didn't fit into the story, so actually, I just took the whole _Roman gets staples and Dean is there_ thing and changed the whole rest. Hope you like it, honey.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, _fuck_.

This whole damn night is already one of the worst he has had in a long time and the show has just started. Why did Roman have to come down and challenge Randy with the whole Authority standing in that ring?

No, scratch that. He knows why.

But still, _why_? And what the heck was Hunter thinking, setting up an impromptu Last Man Standing match between his brother and the Demon, without giving him a chance to talk to Kane about it first, so they can make a plan.

And now, Kane is walking up to him backstage, shrugging apologetically when Seth throws up his hands angrily. 'He got busted open,' Seth accuses his ally of hurting his brother but his anger doesn't seem to faze Kane at all.

'That is part of the business, kid. Go after him, if you are so worried.' Oh, ha ha. Very funny. He'd love to storm into the medical staff room and check on Roman, because that is still etched in his muscle memory but he can't just waltz in there. He can't afford to be seen with his brother and blow his cover.

Or can he?

'You're right,' he whispers slowly, already coming up with a valid reason to be there at the same time as his family.

He is about to turn around and run to his injured friend when Kane holds him back and inches closer, asking in a low voice, 'Are we still executing the original plan?' Of course they are. Seth has no idea where that will get them or if it'll have the desired effect but they have nothing to lose.

And Kane said he needed a break from professional wrestling to recharge his batteries. Who is Seth to deny that wish? Having someone in charge who is secretly working with him can never hurt. It's not what Seth had originally wanted – he didn't plan for the return of Corporate Kane so soon or at all –, but if he's learned one thing it's to roll with the flow.

'Yup,' he confirms and dashes through the arena, coming to a halt in front of the medics room to inhale deeply, so he doesn't appear out of breath. His idea won't work if they think he ran here.

Seth throws the door open like he owns this place and has to suppress an amused smile when everyone in the room jerks in surprise. Even Roman. Ha.

Dean looks at him like he just sprouted a second head, eyes going a bit wider as if he's not sure if he should attack him now to keep up the facade. Seth shakes his head minutely, so no one else will notice and grabs one of the medics by the shirt, snarling into the poor man's face, 'He's fine, it's just a tiny cut. What you really should take a look at is my knee.'

It's kind of ironic that he behaves like Dean right now, but he has no time to dwell on it. Every second is important; perfect timing is vital.

He has to get rid of Dean somehow, because it's impossible for them to be in the same room without jumping at each other's throats. But it's not only Dean who has to go. All the medics need to be on the other side of this door too, so Seth can have a minute alone with Roman.

'Seth, I'm sure it can wait,' a bearded man tries to calm him down but Seth won't have any of it. He hates that this guy forces him act like an asshole, but that's the role he has chosen to play, so he can't back down.

'Oh, I don't think so. You know, either you take a look at my knee right now or I will go back to Hunter and Steph and tell them how you refused to tend to _my_ needs.' Dean scoffs disdainfully behind him, making everyone in the room squirm uncomfortably.

They can feel the tension rising and share more than one concerned look. After a few seconds of hesitation, one of them walks up to Dean and begs him politely to leave the room. Seth knows it's a lot to ask of him because they never leave each other's side when one of them is getting treated in here, but he prays to God that his brother knows what he has to do to buy Seth some time.

' _I'm_ the one who has to go? Are you fucking kidding me? He's just bullshitting you, playing the scary pimp card and you guys fall for it,' Dean complains, stepping forward to stand his ground. Oh thank God. It's so relieving to know that they still share a blind understanding.

'Oh yeah? What are you doing here anyway, you filthy street dog? Shouldn't you be pulling your head out of his ass and prepare for your match with Del Rio?' he shoots back, fake-limping towards Dean to further intimidate the medical staff. They start to get in the middle of them, ready to intervene if things get out of hand.

Such well-behaved little puppets.

'I am ready for the match, _Seth_ , my _brother_ ,' Dean retorts, hissing his name and clenching his fingers into fists. Roman is lying there, watching the scene unfold with his natural calmness, playing his own part in this charade. Seth just rolls his eyes, pushing one of the medics around to force him to look at his totally fine knee, when Dean acts purely on instinct, playing into Seth's hands just fine.

His friend dashes forward, punching everyone out of his way to get his hands on Seth. He backs away, using one of the guys as his shield. There's a small turmoil, people are screaming and trying to tug Dean away from him.

'Get him out of here,' a bald guy yells, face an ugly shade of red, and together they lead his brother away from him. Even after all these weeks it still feels horrible to watch Dean go, so Seth has to force himself to wave and smile arrogantly after him, riling Dean up even more.

'Why the fuck does he get to stay?' Dean roars, trashing and kicking, getting everyone's attention as if he knows instinctively that that was Seth's plan all along. Get Dean to explode, so he will be banned from the room and let him cause a ruckus, so everyone will only look at him while Seth sneaks to the door, closes it and locks it behind all of them.

As long as Dean keeps making a scene, no one will realize that Seth is alone with Roman. He has a minute, two if Dean is good, which means he probably has even three.

Roman flashes him a toothy grin that makes him look so much younger. 'Smart,' his brother comments on the perfect implementation of his improvised plan and gets up to watch the six staples on his forehead in the mirror. Seth just stands there awkwardly, listening to Dean rebelling on the other side of the door, just so he can check on his friend and apologize for yet another thing.

He is so tired of saying he's sorry. It's entirely his fault, he knows. He wouldn't have to play so many games – dragging Dean, Kane and even the Undertaker into it without ever asking them for their permission – if he'd stayed with his brothers all along, if he hadn't turned on them because he was, and apparently still is, scared of being Dean's chosen one.

He cannot be held responsible for everything that goes wrong, for every cut or lost match. But he still feels like it's his fault, whenever something doesn't go according to plan.

So Seth does what he does best, the only thing he seems to be doing these days. 'I'm really sorry he busted you open. I didn't know anything about the match, I don't even think it was planned at all. You interrupted Hunter's little advertisement speech, so he punished you and I couldn't do something about it. I've told Kane to be gentle with my family and not hurt you two if he can avoid it. This is all my fault and–'

'Seth,' Roman cuts him off with a jovial grin and walks up to him, wrapping Seth in a tight, brotherly hug before he can ramble some more nonsense. 'It's just a, what did you say, tiny cut, right?'

He huffs against Roman's collarbone, gripping his friend's waist tightly to make sure he won't let go of him ever again.

'You can't control everything, Seth,' Roman eases his worries, stroking his hair just like in the old times. 'Seriously, you need to let go sometimes. Dean and I, we're old enough to look out for ourselves. And we're willing to help you carry the weight of all of this, if you let us.'

His eyes start to burn, so he squeezes them shut and buries his face in Roman's oiled up chest. For the past nine weeks he was trying to fix everything on his own, thought that ultimately, the entire mission stands and falls with him. He knows his brothers are there to support him but he never realized that they're also willing to go through hell. Not to help him bring down the Authority. No. They do this to not leave him alone.

Because no matter how much he hurt them, they still love him.

He has never really questioned it – though he has had his moments of doubt too – but hearing it is like getting absolved from all his past sins. Seth is not alone in this, no matter how lonely he might feel all of the time. Seems like he just needed a reminder.

He can always count on Roman to make him feel like he belongs, like he's still a part of their little family. Dean on the other hand feels like home, no matter how far they're away or how horribly they have been fighting.

He was the biggest idiot on earth to leave all of that behind.

'I'll be fine,' Roman whispers, now rubbing huge circles on his back, as if Seth was down with the flu again and all three of them are lying in bed together, trying to make him feel better. 'And you'll be fine.'

'What about Dean?' Seth murmurs into Roman's black vest, reluctant to let go even though his brother's yelling outside quiets down with each passing second. They don't have much time left and he wants to make the most of it.

Roman chuckles, hugging Seth once more before he breaks the embrace. A disappointed sigh leaves Seth's lips, so he gets another quick but loving cuddle as well as a tender kiss on top of his head. 'Dean's gonna kick your ass.'

Seth scoffs and shakes his head, smiling warmly. That's not what he wanted to know but if it's concerning Dean, both Roman and Seth don't have a clue what's gonna happen next. It's frightening but also thrilling. They both love some unpredictable chaos in their lives.

Speaking of the devil, Dean's voice soars again, guiding everyone's attention to the closed door. 'If you lay a finger on Ro, I'm gonna tear you apart. You hear me, you piece of shit?' Look at that, their brother has bought them four minutes and twenty-six seconds. Dean is amazing.

'Time to open up,' Seth says sadly, gaze flying down to the ground. Somehow he had hoped this moment would last forever because he can never tell when he's able to share some quality time with his family again. But the show has to go on and sadly, he's a part of it.

'Time to let him in,' Roman corrects and Seth has a feeling that his brothers means so much more than just unlocking the door.

People start banging on it now, so Seth waves at Roman to sit back down and look like he just got hit with the briefcase, but his brother shakes his head and takes the case out of his hands. 'Makes more sense this way,' he explains and Seth just nods, not even bothering to think this through.

Roman knows what he's doing and Seth trusts him, so he cowers down in the corner and pinches himself really hard to make his hurt expression more believable.

'What did you do?' one of the medics accuses Roman as soon as a handful of them burst through the door, immediately rushing towards him. Roman just shrugs and waits for Dean to follow everyone into the tiny room. Seth sees some striped shirts in the crowd, shielding him from his brothers. Seems like Dean caused quite the uproar outside that even brought some officials to the scene.

He has gotten what he came here for, so there's no need for him to stay, even though that's all he wants. But all these people are potential witnesses that could rat him out and he's not letting them ruin everything he has worked for so hard these past two months.

So Seth gets up, snorting angrily and yanks his briefcase out of someone's hands, storming his way to the exit. 'I thought you wanted your knee examined?' one of the medics has the nerve to ask him perplexed, reminding him that he originally faked a knee injury.

'You're just a bunch of incompetent idiots anyway. I wouldn't even let you touch me if you'd paid me money,' he barks, pushing his way through the crowd, bumping with his shoulder against Dean's good one to silently thank him for doing him this favor.

The medics look kinda shocked and Seth feels like the biggest asshole on the planet but he's part of the Authority and he has to act a certain way to not raise any suspicion. Dean helps him out, making one of these totally not funny jokes that started earlier because of Triple H.

'Don't worry guys, Seth is a cheap whore. You don't have to give him more than $9.99.' That... actually hurts. Dean just used the w-word. Again. Tonight it might be to help him get the heck out of here, but Dean meant it the first time he'd screamed that word at him.

It's not nice to get dubbed a whore. But then again, so called fans have thrown worse than that at him since June. Dean better apologizes to him this time though.

'You think you're so funny, Ambrose,' he retorts, trying to ignore the boisterous laughter of his brothers while he leaves those dorks behind.

Three hours later he stands in front of the shower and tries to wash out the sticky soda stains when something vibrates in his back pocket. He dumps the case – that smells awfully good like cinema and reminds him of movie nights with his brothers – and fishes out his phone.

_I won't apologize for Heath. You could have lost honorably to RVD, but daddy ruined that one for you._   
_What I do wanna take back is calling you a whore when you don't deserve it._   
_So, sorry. But it was good joke._

Seth smiles tiredly, leaving the soiled briefcase in the bathroom for the time being, and crawls into his bed to send Dean a dozen messages that range from furious yelling to complimenting him for looking sexy as fuck with JBL's hat. He doesn't get any responses which worries him more than anything else, because right now, Dean is probably thinking about a million ways to torture Seth at SummerSlam.

But Seth has promised his brother to make it up to him tonight on Raw and he did exactly that by making Hunter liking the Beat the Clock challenge so Dean could win it and pick the stipulation for their match.

The longer his friend won't write back, the more nervous Seth gets. He's picturing all the things Dean could choose – I Quit, Buried Alive, No Holds Barred, Iron Man, Casket, Inferno or TLC – but for some reason he knows instinctively what the other has in mind.

Hell in a Cell. A cage match. Because that's the only way Seth won't be able to run away from the punishment and pain Dean wants to inflict. He hadn't thought about this particular stipulation when he came up with this idea last week.

God fucking dammit.


	4. taking back what i've been missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Submitted by _Jenn11_ : Roman apologizes to Dean for thinking it would be Dean who would turn on them. Dean storms off and we have that amazing confrontation between Seth and Dean outside the hotel. Roman shows up in time to hear Dean say he'd never once thought of betraying them. Seth tells Roman Dean's ready to listen now. Roman and Dean leave, then Seth goes back to his room for the very interesting conversation with Kane. Since Seth said Dean was ready to listen, I'd love to hear what Roman had to say to Dean. Seemed like Dean might have needed a bit of reassurance... 
> 
> Companion piece to _i burn like the sun, sway like the sea_. Hope this is somewhat satisfying  <333

It's quiet in the car after Dean's epiphany. Roman doesn't say anything, giving his brother a chance to take those words back – if he feels the need to –, appreciating the progress Dean has just made. He can see his friend's fingers shaking slightly in his lap, but other than that he seems calm and collected.

Deep down he must have known for a long time that he is in love with Seth. He probably just always pushed that thought away because he's not ready to let their little brother back in.

Roman would gladly help Dean with that problem, but in the end all he can do is stay by his side and support his every move, because the only ones deciding what'll happen to them as a couple are those two.

So he concentrates on the reason why his best friend ran away tonight to beat up Seth. 'You dinged him up pretty good,' he breaks the silence, remembering very vividly the red marks on their brother's throat and the bloodstains all over his face and shirt.

Roman will make sure to apologize for inadvertently siccing Dean on him, because he doesn't want to live with the guilt of being responsible for that.

His best friend shoots him an indignant look, cocking his eyebrows. 'Is that your way of telling me _that could have been me; I'm glad it wasn't_?' 'Totally,' Roman admits bluntly, both of them laughing flatly.

The time for beating around the bush is over. There is still so much Dean has to understand, so that their brotherhood won't fall apart completely. Roman doesn't want to have that on his conscience either. It's enough that they're trying to help Seth deal with that.

'You got me worried when you just ran away,' he starts, hesitating for a second to gather his thoughts. Dean takes advantage of the silence, trying to pacify him. 'I'm sor–'

'I'm not finished yet.' He uses his big brother voice – stern and dominant – to show his friend to better not interrupt him again. Roman needs to get this out now or he'll never find the right words again. And Dean really scared him when he pulled a Houdini on him.

'I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't run to Seth. I mean I followed your trail of destruction, but I only found you when he texted me where exactly you are and that you weren't joking when you threatened you'd kill him. He had– Dean, you _strangled_ him. This isn't funny anymore.'

It never has been, to be honest. They're all in way over their heads, but it's painfully showing now that he and Dean can't deal with this whole situation either. They're just some heartbroken, lost and angry boys that had no idea how cruel the world would turn out to be.

Dean looks down at his hands, faint traces of Seth's blood sticking to his skin but he doesn't try to wipe it off. 'I didn't mean to. It just happened and when I realized what I was doing I let go. I swear.' He believes him, no question about that, but it's the act itself that scares Roman.

Dean has never before lashed out on his brothers and now Seth managed to crack that impregnable wall in Dean's head. If he was unpredictable before, what is he able to do now?

Roman sighs, muttering under his breath, 'Today, yeah. What about the next time?' Dean bites on his bottom lip and turns his head away, watching a couple of teenagers disappear into a park.

He gets it. Dean blew a fuse and Seth was unlucky enough to be right there with him. Or rather, he sought him out to find someone he could blame for the war taking place inside of him. There's no use blaming his friend for what he did. He doesn't want to give Dean the impression he's angry.

Which he is, because that's just not how they do things in their family, but he's willing to give his best friend some time to deal with this on his own until he's ready to talk. Preferably with Seth, since he was the victim here.

And his agenda is slightly different right now anyway. This is about Roman begging for pardon, not Dean trying to murder their baby brother. God, their life is such a mess these days.

'Dean, seriously, I'm not saying you have no right to be mad but please, don't just run away. Give me and Seth a chance to sort things out and then you can still pull off one of your beloved disappearing acts,' he adds, gently taking his friend's fingers into his hand. Dean's supposed to know that he's there for him no matter what.

'We understand you need your time off and we want don't want to take that away from you, but you can't go around and lose your shit like that.' His brother withdraws his fingers, not able to accept any kindness at the moment. There's still some fight left in him though. 'That was the first time–'

'Dean, no. Just... don't,' Roman urges his friend not to go there. He doesn't want to hear yet another excuse.

'You usually take all your anger out on yourself, which worries us too, believe me, but this is not the right way either. You can come to us, no matter how you feel or what's bothering you. If it makes you feel better, you can punch _me_ in the face. But please don't try to deal with everything on your own.'

_Don't make a mistake and live to regret it_. That's something he should tell both of his friends.

'I can't promise–' 'I know,' he deliberately cuts Dean off, testing if his brother will explode again, but Dean just looks like a beaten down puppy. Alright, time to slowly let him off the hook then. He's almost made his point anyway.

'And I don't want you to try and change who you are. Just think about it and open up once in a while. Your burden might be yours, but you don't have to carry it alone. I really don't get why I have to preach this over and over.'

Both his brothers are stubborn as a mule. But then again, he's not any different. It's a family trait no one actually needs.

Dean rubs over his forehead as if he's getting a headache, asking mockingly, 'While we're having this awesome heart-to-heart, you wanna tell me some more about the trust issue thing?'

Seth was right. His best friend is ready to listen – sarcasm as his last resort aside. Every step forward is one in the right direction. Roman learned a long time ago not to care about the pace or size of the steps.

'Look, Dean. I don't want you to think I never once trusted you. Because I do. Always have and always will. It's just that you seemed most likely to want to leave sooner or later.' This has nothing to do with mistrust. He just thought it'd be the truth that Dean would realize he's better off without them.

His partner in crime whips his head around, staring at him aghast, mouth slightly open. 'Because I am a lone wolf at heart?' Dean spits out, the words visibly hurting him more than Roman. No, that's not what he meant.

Dean is part of their pack now, but he does sometimes have the air of a loner surrounding him. Or, Roman should clarify, the air of a lone fighter, a survivor.

'Because Seth and I used to be dead weight,' he corrects his friend, parking the car in front of their hotel. Dean doesn't miss a beat, hollering furiously, 'That's bullshit.' Roman can hear how insulted his brother is by this, how much it pains him, but he really should let him finish his sentences.

'I know now,' he reassures his friend, locking the doors so Dean won't get the chance to disappear again. 'But the past three years I watched you get better and better in the ring, Seth easily following your every step while I struggled learning the basics. I felt like the third wheel for the longest time.'

'You weren't,' Dean objects, staring him in the eyes defiantly. Roman smiles, even sweeps a little curtsy to show his gratitude. He can't fathom what's gotten into him to ever question Dean. 'Thanks. Point is though, you two were competing on a totally different level. You still are.

'And then, Seth and I became a tag team and you were the US champion. I guess we were just so focused on ourselves that we sometimes accidentally pushed you away, but in my mind I misinterpreted that as you wanting to walk away and the only thing keeping you with us was you feeling responsible.'

Dean sighs displeased, rolling his eyes. 'It's called loyalty. That's why I never left. Why I never even thought about it. You are my brothers. No matter what happens, I don't leave family behind. Never.' He knows that his best friend isn't only talking about The Shield now. He stayed with his disgrace of a mother until it almost killed him.

Dean is way more caring than is probably good for him.

Before he unlocks the car, Roman smiles proudly at his friend, ruffling through the dirty blond hair. He should never have made the mistake of suspecting him. Not only because he betted on the wrong horse.

'You know, people might think you're lucky that Seth saved you from a life on the street and that I keep you under my guarding wing but truth is, you're the one we can't live without. Without Dean Ambrose, there is no us. And we don't want there to be one.'

Dean stares at him for a second – disbelief and irritation casting a shadow over his face – but then he grins widely, playfully batting Roman's hand away while demanding, 'Stop flattering me.'

There's insecurity tainting those words, but Roman knows Dean good enough to ignore it for now. His friend still doesn't understand how he deserves having a family or being loved by someone and showing Dean he belongs to them takes its time. They're working on one problem after the other.

So he just opens the car and they get out, Roman throwing their room key at him. 'You wanna trash talk about Seth now?' Dean laughs lightly, though there's a moment when it turns sad. It's over as soon as he walks up to his friend, kicking the door shut with his heel.

'Without him hearing it?' 'You know what I mean,' he corrects his brother, throwing a questioning look at him. He was thinking about the love epiphany Dean had, or rather the courage to finally admit it out loud.

The realization must be really scary and intimidating for Dean. Now that he's heard the words tumble out of his friend's mouth, he wishes he hadn't ruined the surprise for Seth by telling him earlier. Roman better won't share this particular secret with anyone and if Seth dares to ever mention it to Dean, he'll cut his tongue off.

Dean throws his boots into a corner, taking off his shirt to let it fall to the ground where he's standing. Roman looks at the piece of cloth, wondering why his friend sometimes forgets his manners altogether. It's probably whenever there's too much of the past fogging up Dean's mind.

Somehow his brother finds his way back to their conversation, shaking his head. 'No, that was enough for one night. I need to come to terms with all of this first.'

_Deal with it_. That was a good joke. Dean will take it to heart, think about it so often that the words start to turn bitter and venomous until he ends up remembering only the dark side of everything. 'You mean ignore it until it bites you in the ass?' he asks, ready to clobber Dean. Didn't he just say five minutes ago that sharing is caring?

It'll take a long time until Dean willingly opens up to them again. He could rip Seth's head off for doing this to his best friend.

But tonight, it wasn't just Seth doing the hurting. And seeing how all this turned out, he just has to say it one more time, so Dean will believe him and never forget it. He'll never doubt Dean's rare and powerful loyalty again. If anyone has proven to be trustworthy, it's his partner in crime. 'I'm sorry.' For damaging something broken even further.

His brother looks at him, face serious and weary, nodding with a thin smile on his lips. 'Yeah, me too.'


	5. breathe your life into me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anonymous on my [writing tumblr](http://ambrollinsgirl.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Companion piece to _we two make forever seem like one day_.

**Smackdown  
Friday 05th, 2014**

_  
This_ is his chance to get a foot into the whole competing for the U.S. title again. If he wins, by any means necessary, he has a legitimate right to demand a title shot; even before Ro gets his opportunity.

But now that Russian Barbie talks about pussing out because of what, Jack Swagger? Why should Dean – hell, _anyone_ – even care? He doesn't give a rat's ass about whatever goes on between those two, who hurt whose grandpa, who hates which country more. He can smell bullshit from a mile away and Rusev and Lana are full of it.

There's only one reason he refuses to fight him and that's cause he knows he's no match for Dean. If that big doofus is afraid of facing him, he'll wet his pants when he stands face to face in the ring with Roman.

For once, Dean came here to fight and since Bray's nowhere to be found, he and Seth have a truce of some sorts and no one else seems to have some beef with him tonight, he wants to inflict as much pain as possible on that loud-mouthed Russian. He doesn't care if he has to drag the guy down the ramp to get this thing started.

He should have known better, has used the exact same tactic so often himself, but Bray's punch from behind while he tries to walk up the isle still blindsides him completely.

Dean is able to get in some offense, losing his advantage the moment Bray hits him with a chair. God, how he loathes those fucking things.

Strangely enough, he can only think about Seth back in the locker room, watching this with his security and Kane, as well as some other guys, unable to let his mask slip for even the fraction of a second. And how must Roman feel, unable to do anything cause he's stuck at home?

Bray pushes him against the barricade, yelling something about her chair – so it did belong to little Miss Abby – before he sets him up for one of the most panic-inducing moves Dean ever had to endure.

His mind blacks out when he sees the stairs coming closer in slow-motion. The moment the chair connects with the steel steps and therefore also with his throat, his brain kicks in again, voices screaming at him that he mustn't freak out, that he needs to keep on breathing, but he just _can't_.

Dean tries so hard to squeeze air into his lungs, but no matter what he does, it won't work. For a dreadful second he firmly believes that this time he is going to die. All those anxiety attacks that took his breath away in the worst ways are nothing compared to this.

It's a bit ironic, isn't it? He's survived all these hardcore wrestling matches, has lost so much blood in the past, and the thing that does him in is a cheap shot to the throat.

As his hand reaches out to the referee – simultaneously also trying to push the man away – he can't help but think of his family again. The knowledge that no one can help him right now, that they can't be with him hurts so much more than his chest that feels like it's turning into a vacuum.

Too many people are touching him while he's under the impression his whole voicebox got crushed. He can't swallow, won't calm down, can't breathe and Dean seriously starts freaking out on the inside when the medics put him on the gurney, giving him the worst kind of deja-vu.

Someone tells him to respire in even bouts and if he could move, he'd bash that man's head in. To his ears this friendly order sounds like a joke, a taunt, an insult even.

The whole world around him is a blur of colors and exploding noises until all of that gets sucked into a misty hole that drains him from his life and lets his spirit die away. There's only darkness and the stifling fear of asphyxiating until a silken voice breaks through the blackness.

_Dean, breathe. Do it for me. In and out. Calm down. I know you can do it._

For the first time since his throat got smashed in with a chair Dean is able to inhale and exhale unhurriedly, eyes finally re-focusing on his surroundings.

There, behind all those people tending to him, is Seth, the upper half of his body hidden in the shadows, only the shiny SR of his silver belt buckle giving him away. Something gets put on his nose and mouth again and his first instinct is to rip it off because he still fears he'll suffocate, but his limbs are restrained. He's unable to even move a single muscle.

Dean searches for his brother in the back again, trying to concentrate on something else than the commotion, tuning out all unnecessary voices to only listen to Seth reminding him over and over, 'Just breathe. I'm here.'

* * *

The worst thing about the departure of the Authority is not that Seth hasn't been the one to bring them down. That does suck and he loses a lot of sleep over it, but the real downside of them being gone is that he has to share the locker room with all the other guys. Men who seriously hate his guts and would like nothing more than to beat the crap out of him.

He detests that he has to wear his shallow, arrogant mask all day long now. That makes it so much harder to let go of it after the shows. Sometimes he fears he is losing parts of himself to the guy he pretends to be on screen.

Seth has bigger problems at the moment though. Later he'll have a tag match with Big Show against Ryback and Rowan and he has the sinking feeling Show isn't really on his side. He doesn't want to lose yet another match. Let alone is he looking forward to get Shellshocked. Ryback isn't called the Human Wrecking ball just for shits and giggles.

Big Show isn't here at the moment; Kane and his so-called bodyguards are, watching with him how Dean strides down the ramp. He already knows that his brother will do a promo and what he'll say, but he still enjoys listening to Dean's voice, no matter what comes out of that mouth.

Seth just has to act like he has better things to do and all this annoys him.

At least Kane knows the truth, gently nudging him in the side when no one's looking. Jamie and Joey are standing before him, giggling and attempting at smack talk. He is barely able to refrain from sighing enervated or bust their heads.

He can't even text Roman at the moment because his nosy security guards would undoubtedly read the message, even if it's upside down.

It's really hard not to smile at his friend's promo or show the pride that fills him when Dean lets on that Lana's flirting won't work on him. He came here to fight – obviously with the hidden agenda of ultimately getting his baby back – and he won't leave until he gets one.

If only Dean's birthday would be today, then Seth could give him the perfect opportunity to blow off some steam.

Seth takes an inconspicuous look around the locker room, but he can't spot a bearded someone. He turns back to the screen with an uneasy feeling, knowing that Bray will somehow interfere in this match. There's no way he'll just accept Dean destroying his most precious possession.

The moment he finished the thought, Wyatt appears from behind and brings Dean down to his knees, throwing him around the place with ease. His brother does get some offense in there as well, but Bray has the upper hand, using a chair to prove his superiority.

He has watched this feud from afar, has disliked every instance the man laid a finger on his friend. There's absolutely nothing he can do though. The world thinks he has dominated the war with his former Shield brethren, has seen him emerge as the sole victor. Going out there to aid his alleged nemesis isn't something he could justify at the moment.

Seth is just about to fully turn away from the screen, disgusted by the events, to pretend he's getting ready for his match later on when Bray sets Dean up for a throat crushing maneuver and Seth's world stops turning. When he comes to his senses again, his brother is lying on the ground, coughing and helplessly gasping for air. It's like he's having a panic attack and the whole world is there to witness it.

His fingers ball into fists when Noble and Mercury applaud Bray, and he has to bite hard on his cheek to not say anything stupid. They turn around, looking for his approval, so he conjures up every last bit of his strength to smile coldly. 'Finally got what he deserved,' one of them dares to say, further blowing on the burning rage seething inside of him.

No one is allowed to talk about Dean like that and he'd love nothing more than to show everyone that they better not mess with any member of the Hounds of Justice. Kane senses he's about to do something irrational and places a comforting hand on his back, the touch opening his eyes.

Dean is still fighting for air, the sight making his heart drop, letting his eyes sting uncomfortably. He wants to look away, yet he can't. The wish to make sure his brother will be okay is too strong. However, no matter how much time passes, Dean's not getting better. He is only able to clutch at his neck as if that could miraculously help the situation.

He needs to leave. Get out of here. Find Dean. Do _something_.

His own heartbeat keeps stuttering inside his chest; the ribcage narrowing itself until it hurts so much that his breathing adjusts to Dean's. For a moment he fears he'll never be able to fill his lungs with oxygen again. Of course his gasping and wheezing draws unwanted attention, but before anyone can ask what's wrong, Kane ushers him out of the room and into the next unlit corner.

'Go.'

That's all his big friend says, head tilted a bit to the side to show him he can run off and that he'll cover for him until his match starts. 'Thanks,' he whispers close to tears, spinning around to be exactly where he should be right now.

Seth's body moves on autopilot, never stopping to make sure the people he runs into on the way are fine. His legs carry him through the arena, every muscle helping him to get there as fast as he possibly can, but he's still too late. When he arrives at the garage, his brother is about to get rushed to the nearest medical facility, eyes wide open, panic written all over his face.

It's obvious he's still having trouble to quiet down. He can't do much from his position in the shadows, far behind the mob of people surrounding Dean, but his lips move on their own accord. He's not sure if it's a prayer or a message for his friend, but he hears himself whisper, 'Dean, breathe. Do it for me. In and out. Calm down. I know you can do it.'

It's impossible he really hears him and still... his brother's chest does move more evenly. Since it makes him feel better to talk to his family and Dean seems to somehow respond to it, he keeps on murmuring one comforting thought after the other, the sound soothing even to his own ears. 'Just breathe. I'm here.'

He'll always be because this is the only place he belongs.

Seth couldn't care less about the match or getting one over on Cena before TLC, just wants to get to his rental car and speed after Dean because he feels like he disappointed Roman, broke his promise to take care of their friend at all times. He's the worst brother and boyfriend ever.

Thankfully, the rest of Smackdown passes by in the blink of an eye. One moment he's watching Dean disappear into the night, the next he's sneaking around in the hospital to find his brother's room. Seth hasn't heard a single word from him so far and talking to Rome didn't help at all since they both have no clue what's wrong and if Dean's gonna be okay.

His mind won't stop torturing him with all kinds of horrible visions, which is why he thinks he hallucinates when he finally closes the right door behind him. His friend is plugged to a machine, a constant, rhythmical beeping indicating he's sleeping peacefully; an oxygen mask providing him with vital air, defacing Dean.

The first thing he does is let go of well, everything, gliding down the wood to sink to the ground and fish his phone out of his jeans, texting Roman that their brother is alive and kicking. He then steals the medical file from outside and reads over it. Just to be sure Dean hasn't been harmed too badly.

There are lines like _patient sustained brunt and crushing trauma to the front part of his neck_ and _crushed trachea with inflammation or a tracheal contusion_ that make his stomach churn and Seth hurriedly puts the file back before he loses his mind.

Dean will survive but his throat will hurt like hell for days to come. Wyatt unknowingly has woken up two monsters tonight. Seth swears right there and then that one day he'll teach Bray a lesson for hurting his family. It may not be in the near future, but this time he won't forget the grudge, the searing wish for revenge. No one gets to hurt his brother.

No one is allowed to show him how easily he could lose Dean.


	6. i'll be feeling whatever's left inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He puts on some comfy sweatpants and one of Dean's worn-out shirts he stole on their journey to Texas, muttering under his breath, 'It worked out.' Though he knows they got lucky that Roman didn't get seriously injured._
> 
> _His brother raises his eyebrows, making a vague hand gesture at his body. 'Your buddies beat the crap out of me.' 'Yeah, it worked out for some of us.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt fill for [LeahMarie](http://leahmarie624.tumblr.com/): Do you think you could write a chapter in Let Them Hear It about the night Seth almost got speared by the steel cage coming down? I can just imagine Roman being all worried and upset with Seth taking a risk like that, you can add in maybe Dean freaking out because he was watching it on TV from home.
> 
> _Sorry, but Dean didn't really fit in. Hope you still like it._

**September 8th, 2014  
Roman Reigns vs Randy Orton**

He just closed the door behind him, has only been able to take off one shoe when there's a knock interrupting his much needed wind-down time. Seth groans and wobbles over to the entrance, not even bothering to check through the peephole who wants a piece of him at this ungodly hour.

There aren't that many people who would disturb him in his room, but he does hope that it's Kane. He really has no intention of seeing Randy or someone of the Authority again. Once a day is already too much for him.

The man barging into his room as soon as he opens the door is even more welcome than his tall ally. But the fact that Rome's standing right in front of him means he followed his car, like some creepy stalker. Must run in the family.

If Roman is here in person, he came to give him another lecture. God damn, why can't people just talk on the phone anymore? At least then he could feign to listen. There's no escaping when he's in the same room as his brother.

He doesn't even get a _hello_ or _I'm fine; even after everything you did to me earlier_ , Roman just shoves his smartphone at Seth's chest and he is barely able to catch it. What is he supposed to do now? He really has no patience to do one of their little games, still feeling like he needs to throw up because of what happened inside that cage tonight.

Beating up Dean is one thing – he always threatened Seth to never hold back or else he'd expose him –, but surviving that feud just to orchestrate more vicious attacks on his second brother is maybe more than he can take.

All Seth wants to do is focus on destroying Hunter and Steph, not driving his family into an early grave.

He looks down at the small display and squints his eyes. A video is ready to be played and it seems like it's a wrestling one. From the match earlier. How the hell does _everything_ that happens always show up on the internet in a matter of seconds? Have all these people posting this nothing better to do?

'That was stupid,' his big brother chides him, drawing the curtains close even though they're in the middle of nowhere, the only company the countless bright stars shining down on them. He misses nature's very own chain of lights the second Roman robs him of it.

He has no clue what his friend is talking about, why he deserves to be put down again, so he watches the material, a frown taking over his face when he sees a tiny version of himself trying to glide back into the ring the very moment the cell came down.

It didn't seem very dangerous to him and he was _right there_ , but the video does make it look like he almost got speared by the cage and those black spikes. Seth can't even be angry at a very eager fan anymore, the footage captured by one of WWE's cameramen.

He opens his mouth to say something, to defend himself – because this really wasn't a big deal – but Roman is not done with him yet; showing the big brother concern Seth loves to see on any other day, but tonight it shouldn't be Rome worrying about his brother's condition.

Randy, Kane and Seth beat the crap out of him inside that cage. Hell, he even jumped down on him and here his friend is, only concerned about his well-being.

Maybe it's not so bad for their own friendship that Dean isn't around these days, so all three of them have time to think about all the stuff standing in their way.

Oh, for the love of– he just reminded himself that Dean no longer travels the world with him, by now resting at home in bed – he got released from the hospital last week after being there for nine whole days, thanks to his cinderblock Curb Stomp –, hopefully not too mad at Kane and him interfering in the match and beating Roman up with a chair and all that.

'What were you thinking?' Okay, wait a second. There's no way Roman searched for the video on his own afterwards, so how– oh, what a traitor.

'Dean,' he mutters under his breath, feeling very betrayed all of a sudden, asking himself how his brother was able to send Roman a link in the first place. He can't even rely on Dean's incompetence to handle his own phone anymore. What has the world come to?

'Yes, Dean,' Roman snarls, snatching his mobile out of Seth's hands. 'He told me you almost got impaled by the cage tonight.' So, in other words, Dean didn't _find_ the video, he just... what? He was concerned because Seth had been lightheaded? Or he just likes to sell him out, as some kind of childish payback.

Thinking about this more thoroughly, he prefers the version where Dean watched RAW and nearly fell out of his bed, since he tried to scramble closer to the screen, too immersed in the action taking place on the show, knowing how much can go wrong inside a cage, even with all the careful planning they did beforehand.

'Rome,' he grins, walking into the bathroom to finally take out his contacts and put his glasses back on. Every time he does that he has to sigh relieved, because he realizes anew how they make him feel comfortable and at ease. They're a little shield he can take on and off whenever he pleases. 'Nothing happened. Didn't even graze me.'

And Roman never would have found out either, because all that took place behind his back, while he was busy fighting off Orton. But it's not like he can blame Dean for almost getting a heart attack. It actually pleases him a lot that Rome is standing before him right now, telling him off because that was not part of their plan. Means they both still care.

'Shut it, I'm trying to scold you.'

That's so cute. He's really missed this and it makes him want to ask Roman to stay over; it would be good for both of them. Seth laughs, clapping his big brother gently on the belly while saying, 'You wanna ground me too, old man?'

Roman groans and rolls his eyes, but sits down on the armchair, wincing when his body protests vehemently. Seth watches his brother nursing his bruised back, feeling very bad for Curb Stomping him on the steel chair. Well, can't be helped anymore, he has to find a way to live with all that guilt somehow. It's nothing he hasn't done to Dean a million times already. Funny how it never gets easier though.

'Call him.' He sighs loudly, squeezing himself on the left armrest to lay his legs over Roman's. As if he hasn't tried that more than once since he dropped Dean off at a hospital in Vegas after their road trip – he didn't want to take a chance with his injured brother flying, so he drove all the way there before he returned to Phoenix. The result is always the same. 'He won't answer.'

Roman nods, humming a wee bit disappointed, as if he has the same problem. His friend probably has no idea how happy that makes him, because Dean and Rome share this profound, very unique, best friends forever, lets get double graves bond that makes him seethe with jealousy more often than not.

But if Dean won't even pick up the phone when his _uce_ calls, then it means that he doesn't only ignore Seth. So it has nothing to do with him, it's just Dean wanting to have some space.

'Then text him you're okay.' Shouldn't Roman be the one insisting that he's fine after tonight? Why is their brother so worried about him when he walked out of the cell with his head held high? 'I can't believe you did that. You do realize there's a door to that cage? Kane even used it.'

He shrugs, not wanting this to be a big thing when all is well. While Seth awkwardly hugs Roman's broad shoulders and buries his nose in his friend's hair, he murmurs, 'It was a spur of the moment decision. I wanted to get in so Randy wouldn't be alone with you. He is still so pissed that he lost to you at SummerSlam and I feared he would swallow you whole. Literally.'

Roman gently shakes his head, strands of the glorious black hair falling into his eyes, exhaustion evident on his chiseled face. 'Unnecessary risk, Seth. You should know better than that.' But that's his _thing_. He's the risk-taker, flying down from anywhere he can – hoping to surpass the legacy of people like Jeff Hardy. And tonight, he never once doubted Roman wouldn't catch him.

Just like Dean used to when they were still The Shield. Awesome. Now he managed to make himself even more depressed because he recalled Payback and their Fallout interview. As a matter of fact, he has memorized every word Dean had spoken into the microphone, because they still make him insanely proud.

_It takes a level of trust in your partner to jump out of the ceiling of the Izod center and probably gonna take out your partner as well as your two opponents. But you know that he’s not gonna– Seth knows that I’m not gonna care if he lands on me. And Seth knows that if he crashes and burns, I’m gonna pick him up and drag him out of the building if he can’t walk. I’ll pick him up and carry him._

Listening to his brother saying that almost made him burst into tears and storm out of the building, because he already knew he would go to Hunter right after they'd have their victory beer, with the intention of turning on his family. Fake or not, he committed a sin and he's still paying for it. No, for that he will rot in hell forever.

'I knew you'd catch me,' he admits after a peaceful moment of silence, grinning lazily when Roman finally hugs him back. 'We'll always catch you if you fall. Or jump.' He knows. It's the only thing keeping him going. They would even willingly dive after him, unable to leave him alone anywhere he goes.

'I was worried.' Rome pinches him in the side, countering, 'No, _I_ was worried.'

They smile at each other for a while, the world righting itself again, and Seth gets up to shimmy out of his clothes while Roman makes no move to indicate if he wants to stay here tonight or not. And honestly, Seth is too afraid of the answer to ask.

He puts on some comfy sweatpants and one of Dean's worn-out shirts he stole on their journey to Texas, muttering under his breath, 'It worked out.' Though he knows they got lucky that Roman didn't get seriously injured.

His brother raises his eyebrows, making a vague hand gesture at his body. 'Your buddies beat the crap out of me.' 'Yeah, it worked out for some of us.'

Roman chuckles and throws one of his boots at him, though he makes sure to miss Seth. 'You know, sometimes I think it's karma that Dean doesn't answer your calls.' Hold the freaking phone. So their brother _does_ pick up when he tries to contact him? It really has something to do with him–

The moment he sees the smirk on his friend's face, he knows it was just a joke. Dean brushes them both aside, refusing to play favorites. 'Not funny, Rome.'

'It's a little funny.'


End file.
